Learning Curves
by Tumbleweed
Summary: Before the Grand Galloping Gala, Applejack makes a very...personal request of Rarity. How could the pony of generosity refuse?


"Oh, good. You're here." Applejack pawed at the dirt floor. She glanced down at her hooves for a moment and hoped her nervousness didn't show through. "Glad you could make it."

"Yes, well," Rarity tossed her mane back in a practiced gesture, "Typically, I tend to steer clear of...well, barns, but in your case, I'm happy to make an exception. Though I must ask...did you have to pick a place so far away from, well, everything?"

"Yeah. Uh. Sorry 'bout that. Hope it didn't take ya too long to find this place. 's just I wanted to find the right place. Y'know, where nobody could see-"

"Where nobody could see?" Rarity's lips drew up into a wry smile, "Why, Applejack- are you saying you're _embarrassed_ to be seen with me?" She shrugged off her saddlebags, carefully hanging them from a peg on the barn wall.

"That ain't it!" Applejack furrowed her brow, and stepped forward to poke Rarity with one well-worn hoof. "'s just, I, uh. I mean...y'know."

"To tell the truth, I _don't_ know, darling." Rarity said, "-but I do hope you'll enlighten me, or else this entire afternoon will have been a bit of a waste. I know we're both busy ponies, after all."

"I think we both know why we're here." Applejack grumbled.

"Perhaps." Rarity said, and batted her eyes at the rough & tumble pony, "but it's just so much more fun to hear it straight from the horse's mouth."

"You come out all this way just to tease me?" Applejack said, narrowing her eyes.

"It's a bonus, yes."

"Hnf. Fine." Applejack pushed the brim of her hat upwards and leaned back. "I invited ya out here to, um. You know. Show me. Stuff."

"That's...a rather vague way of putting it."

"That's as good as you're gettin'."

"Oh, fine." Rarity rolled her eyes, "I suppose there's no use in wasting time then, is there? After all, the Grand Galloping Gala is very, very soon. And, well...you never know what'll come up on such an important occasion, hm?" As the unicorn spoke, she circled around Applejack. Each step of her hooves kicked up a small cloud of straw dust. Golden motes swirled around both the unicorn and the earth pony. Applejack fidgeted beneath Rarity's discerning gaze. "Oh, stop your fussing." Rarity said, "It'll be fun! Now, the first thing we need is a little mood music..." Rarity's horn glowed, and she lifted a record out of her saddlebags, and onto a rickety, crank-operated phonograph tucked into a corner of the barn. Soon, a slow but enticing tune began to play.

Rarity stepped in close to Applejack. Very close. Intimately close. "Now, Applejack, just put your hoof here-"

"Whoa there, pardner!" Applejack didn't jump back, but she briefly wondered if she should have.

"What now?" Rarity huffed, impatient.

"I, uh...I wasn't expecting-"

Rarity affixed Applejack with a Look. Not nearly the level of Fluttershy's feared Stare, but a Look, none the less. Such a skill was a requisite for being a proper artiste."Yeeeees?"

"Well, I just wasn't expecting- Er. Uh. I'm just sayin', I've never heard of, um, two mares-"

"Oh!" Rarity said, and covered her mouth to stifle the inevitable giggle, "How, uh...quaint."

"You laughin' at me?" Applejack glared.

"Just a little?" Rarity shook her head, and took in a deep, steadying breath. "I'm sorry. It's easy to make, ah, certain assumptions."

"So you've-"

"Oh, plenty of times!" Rarity beamed, "I mean, well, what's a mare to do when there's no stallions about, hm? Or when they _are_ about, it's a surefire way to get their attention." She winked at Applejack, conspiratorially.

"Oh. Um. Okay." Applejack fidgeted, and bit at her lower lip. "It's just that I've never-"

"Oh!" Rarity said, and covered her mouth in surprise. "I didn't know."

"Well, it ain't like it's somethin' ya go 'round tellin' everybody..."

"I see your point. Still...at your age, you havent...with anyone?"

"Nope." a faint blush tinged the cowpony's cheeks. "...too busy." She said in a very small voice.

"Oh, my poor dear! You've been missing...well, a lot, honestly. But don't worry- we can make up for lost time!"

"Just don't go too fast-" Applejack said.

Rarity held a hoof up to Applejack's lips. "Only if you stop talking. Now, if you just put your hoof here..."

Applejack nodded, and stepped closer, close enough so she could feel the warmth of Rarity's soft, short coat. The earth pony shivered, her heart fluttering in nervous anticipation.

"Darling, you'll be fine." Rarity's breath was warm and smelled slightly of mint. "Just let me take the lead, hm?"

Before Applejack could object, Rarity began to guide her across the barn floor. The unicorn was far weaker and more delicate, but Applejack found herself moving at the merest nudge. Magic, perhaps? But Rarity's horn wasn't emitting the telltale hum and glow.

Rarity increased her pace, and Applejack found herself hard pressed to keep up. It was just too _distracting- _each little touch, each breath, even the occasional giggle- how could anypony keep track of it all?

Rarity was smiling. Infuriatingly, she was as impeccably groomed and collected as she had been when she walked into the barn- perhaps even strangely cleaner, by some odd happening. In comparison, Applejack couldn't help but feel scruffy, uncouth, inadequate. Applejack's stomach lurched. What was she thinking? This was a terrible idea- everypony would just laugh at her once they found out! And Rarity, of all mares- she'd never live it down.

And then Applejack's gaze met Rarity's.

So close, Applejack saw amusement in Rarity's blue eyes- and that, that was too much for her to take. Could she really let some highfalutin', minty-smelling, fru-fru girly pony show her up?

"Aw _hay_ no." She said, and moved into action.

Rarity opened her mouth to say something, but it only came out as a surprised squeak as Applejack seized the initiative- and the unicorn. Rarity could do little more than revel in the sensation of strong, rough hooves running over her flanks. Stroke and squeeze, back and forth, the two ponies moved against each other in a rough, desperate rhythm, alternately working with and against each other. Rarity squealed again as the pair careened into a pile of apple baskets. Applejack just laughed it off, ignoring the clatter they made as they toppled over.

By the time the music stopped, both ponies were winded, sweaty, and more than a little flustered.

"And that," Rarity managed between panting breaths, "-is how to one does the tango trot. It's worth noting they do it somewhat...gentler, in Canterlot." she fussed with her mane, and frowned, "-you don't have a mirror handy, do you? I imagine I must look a fright. I hadn't expected you to be so...enthusiastic."

"Yeah, uh. Maybe I just had a good teacher?" Applejack rocked back and forth on her hooves, waiting for just the right moment to ask a question. It didn't come, so she just asked anyway. "So...wanna do it again?"

"Again? So soon? My dear, you're insatiable."

"That a no?"

"I never said _that_."


End file.
